Changing course or empty promises?

In her annual State of the European Union debate, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cut a beleaguered figure at times, harangued by far-right MEPs and claiming in one instance that “any action will be too much for some, too little for others”.

Attempting to, in stark contrast to EPP leader Manfred Weber, build unity amongst a very fractured union, today’s address focused heavily on navigating the geopolitical landscape, European foreign policy and, as always, announcing new plans.

For workers, who were mentioned once (as a comparison, competitiveness got five mentions), we have either received a change of course from von der Leyen’s second college, or empty promises to placate our calls.

Seeking to choose the optimistic angle, all our eggs are in the basket of the Quality Jobs Act, and the promise of “a series of packages on affordability and the cost of living”, both of which was announced with no detail on their contents.

“As with many other areas where we have called for the Commission to act, we need today’s SOTEU to be a re-commitment to Social Europe, not a series of empty promises

From the outset of this mandate, we have been urging the Commission to propose a number of measures, most notably; a directive on psychosocial risks, a directive on algorithmic management in the world of work, a revision of public procurement rules and a directive on telework and the right to disconnect.

Nine months after the Commission turned their back on social legislation, we need the commitment to enacting the changes professionals and managers desperately require in their working lives.

Reacting to today’s address, Eurocadres President Nayla Glaise stated:

“While encouraged, we will wait and see if action matches ambition.

As with many other areas where we have called for the Commission to act, we need today’s SOTEU to be a re-commitment to Social Europe, not a series of empty promises.

We have been clear that a capitulation to the needs of corporations would only increase inequality, and are happy to see that our demands for a Quality Jobs Act and action on affordability and the cost of living have been taken into account.

Equally we are happy to see a re-commitment to the Green Deal, and intent to fight against disinformation. While the far-right voiced their displeasure at the proposal of a European Centre for Democratic Resilience, this is a much-needed initiative across the bloc.

However, this Commission College has very little credit in the bank with European workers, and while we are encouraged, we need to see these initiatives before we start praising the president’s ambitions”.